Master and the Wolf
by LochCroc
Summary: After the events of KFP2, Zhong (Wolf Boss) now lives in solitude. However, when Master Yao comes into his life, Zhong's life takes a turn for the unexpected. [Cover art from deviantart user coffeebandit]
1. Chapter 1

Master and the Wolf

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

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><p>"I couldn't take it anymore," Zhong recalled.<p>

"I knew it had to happen eventually. The way he was acting prior to then, I- I just knew he was becoming more and more irrational. That he was afraid. I think he knew his defeat was inevitable, and wanted to do anything to prevent it. I mean he was clearly insane at that point, so I knew what would happen to me if I disobeyed. I didn't care. I wasn't going to kill my men. It didn't matter anyway, after he had struck me down, he fired and killed some of them. I remember lying there. I so much pain, physically and mentally. I knew I could've done so much more to stop him, yet didn't. Also I was stabbed, and bleeding profusely. Holding my paw to the wound, I did my best to hold back the life seeping out of my chest. It was to no avail, however. I was losing consiousness quickly. A few minutes had passed before I heard the sounds of explosions. Several explosions. And then, one more. It was much louder, and much more drawn out than the previous ones. _What was going on? _Slowly, gradually, painfully, I stood up. The end of the canal was now lighted by brilliant shades of blue and red. _Fireworks? _The pain was unbearable at that point. I knew I couldn't walk for much longer, and after seeing the aftermath of Shen's defeat, I didn't need to. My time had come. I turned to see the Furious Five, the Panda, and other Kung Fu Masters staring in spectacle at the firework display, enjoying their sweet victory. _Well, good for you, tubby._ I collapsed. It was over. Before the last bit of life seeped out of my wound, I locked eyes with the panda for a brief second. At the time, I think I probably had defeat and sorrow written on my face. Well, can you blame me? I couldn't read his expression, my vision was too blurred, then non-exsistant."

"Oh, how dismal! Now what happened next?"

"Well, I dunno. Next thing I knew I woke up in Gongmen City Hospital. Best guess is that panda and his friends took me there. I suppose I owe my life to the guy. I left soon after I was fully healed. Leaving the hospital, I put on the same armor I wore the day of Shen's defeat. It was covered in my blood. Honestly, I didn't know what to do next. I knew one thing, however. I knew I didn't have a home, so I set out to somewhere where I knew there was vacant housing. Not such an ideal dwelling, but I wasn't bothered to spend any more time thinking of a place to live. I didn't care about any of the bad memories that place held for me or that panda. It was a long journey. Nothing was on my mind at all. Just walking."

"Nothing on your mind? Very unlikely, I think."

"I'm serious. Nothing. All I could do is continue to my destination. There was one instance, however where I stopped at a river to get some water, and in my reflection, I spotted Shen's emblem on the armor I was wearing. I quickly became eveloped in hatred, emoved my armor, and hurled it into the river. It's not like I cared that I would become cold while traveling through the forest without a shirt. I didn't want anything to do with him. After that I continued on my way to the panda's home village. I got there by sunrise. I had to admit, it looked alluring in the light orange glow of the early morning sun. The grass and ponds scattered around the area looked very lively. All the same, the houses looked overgrown with plantlife, and maintained a scorched color. Looking around, most of the cottages were nothing more than framework and piles of lumber. All but two. One was adjacent to a nearby river, and the other was a few feet away from the shore of a small lake. By then I was incredibly tired. I made my way to the shack near the lake. The door opened with a hearty creak. Inside, nothing much filled the house. There was an overturned cot in one corner of the room, and a broken table in the other. There was scattered scrolls on the floor, but I didn't care to read any of them. I turned up the cot, and laid down in it, and gradually fell asleep."

"Oh, so you chose to seek solitude in a deserted village? Interesting! So you've been here ever since? Must be awfully lonely."

"It's not _that_ bad. I mean, i'm not _completely_ isolated out here. There's a village not too far out from here," Zhong disclosed as he pointed towards the east. "I head over there from time to time for any supplies and materials I might need."

"Meet anybody there?"

"...Y-Yeah. Well enough about me, Master Yao, would you like to enlighten me on why you were in the middle of the woods a few hundred miles outside of Gongmen City?"

"Oh, Indeed! From what I can recall, one day I'm meditating in my box, my attendants carrying me to the Valley of Peace, then BOOM! CRASH! All gone! Some crocodile bandits scared my servants off, and soon after they had begun to interrogate me, rather badly, i'd say, but I must of annoyed them, because they soon trudged away. The nearest resisdence was yours, so I began to meander here."

"How did you know where I live?," Zhong implored.

"I know _every_thing, now Zhong, would you be willing to escort me to the Valley of Peace? It's an awfully long trek from here."

"To the Valley of Peace? Where that panda lives?"

"Yes, that panda's name is Po, by the way."

"Po. Whatever. I...i...are you serious?"

"Yes."

"I...I need time to think about it."

"Oh, take the whole night to ponder the matter! We'll do better leaving in the morning anyway."

"Thanks for understanding, Master Yao."

"Oh no worry! Now, Zhong, you wouldn't mind me staying in your house for the night?"

"Sure thing. I actually need to go do something, just...make yourself at home. I'll be back in about an hour."

"Going for a walk now? I love it! Be safe now wolfy," Master Yao remarked as he made his way deeper into one hallway of the cabin.

Zhong retreated outside, and made his way to a large pain field a few yards west of his dwelling. Once he was there, he began his daily regimen of traning. He begun to do so ever since he had returned to this village, and had gradually increased the intensity and difficulty of said excercises. I_f Yao had noticed, he would of brought it up, no doubt. Would have tried to get me to open up and reveal my innermost feelings about my insecurity. Oh that's right, he didn't need to. He knows everything. Hell, im not even sure I know why i'm doing this. Maybe talking about it would help me. Whatever. It's not like this is bad for me, as long as I don't let it get out of hand._Zhong sighed to himself as he continued his various straining exercises, push-ups right now. _Oh well, maybe I should go. I've been held up in here for the past few months, experiencing new things might not be so bad. Oh, and i'll get to see her while going through the village on the way to the valley. That makes it worth I. I'll go. Besides, Master Yao is a captivating person to hang around. _Zhong obtained a somewhat hopeful state of mind from this thinking session, and continued his training further into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Master and the Wolf

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

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><p>"Wake up, Wolfy!" Yao shouted.<p>

Zhong shot out of his bed and assumed an attack pose, his ears scanning for threats, all within just a few seconds.

"What?!...Oh," Zhong muttered as he realized that there was no danger.

"Let's get going! No time to waste, we have a long journey ahead of us, Zhong!" Yao replied, quickly making his way toward the door.

The door opened to illuminate the room with a gray hue, mirroring the overcast weather. Zhong retreated to the far end of the cabin, and grabbed a previously suffused pack for their travels. In doing so, he knocked over a nearby stack of paintings. After delicately picking them up and re-stacking them, he made his way to the door, and by then Yao was frolicking about in the tall grass immediatley outside the house.

"Oh! The spectacle of morning dew on long strands of grass! I love it!"

"Yeah, it's something, isn't it? So, we're heading in _this_ direction, correct?," Zhong said, pointing east.

"Yes, indeed! That's were that village you visit often, correct?"

"Uh...yeah. How did you-..oh, yeah. Well I wouldn't say I visit _that_ often..."

"Alrighty then! Let's get going!," Yao announced, and started skipping east, into the woods.

"Hang on, Yao!," Zhong exclaimed, running in attempt to catch up to Yao.

He eventually did so, and was confronted by Yao the moment he did.

"Isn't this splendid? Walking through the woods on a foggy morning, I love it!"

"Yeah. It's actually not that much farther into the village, by the way. If you wouldn't mind, I have some things I need to do there, Master Yao."

"Oh, not at all! Now this little break isn't to visit a friend by any chance, is it?"

"No! Well, actually no. Uh...yep, No. I don't think she would consider me a friend, not yet at least, and that's not the reason, it's just I needed to...talk to someone. About a thing."

Yao simply stared back at Zhong, smiling as he kept walking.

Zhong stared back, doing his best not to crumble under Yao's piercing gaze.

The two remained silent for a good ten minutes, walking through the woods unaccompanied by any sound other than the faint wind blowing through the bamboo woods.

It was a good ten minutes before Yao had spoken up, and it had startled Zhong when he did. Both because of the element of suprise, and the content of the remark.

"You know the name Nuan translates to 'affectionate'? It's a pretty uncommon name aswell. Very fascinating, I love it!"

"Wha-You know her?"

"..."

"Oh that's right, why do I keep forgetting? Wait, so when you say 'everything', do you really mean _everything_?"

"Everything."

"What's it like?"

"Knowing everything? Very entrhalling sometimes, but overall very boring."

"Boring? Really?"

"It's hard to explain, Wolfy, I'd care not to go into that right now. I've spent my whole life meditating in a box to master the deepest secrets of kung fu, you know that?"

"Why Yes, I have heard of you before."

"Why, I've dedicated my whole life the art and now that I'm nearing my end, I want to experience all the mystery of life's greatest treasures, and that's difficult to enjoy when you know exactly what they are."

"Yes, I understand. Wait...what do you mean by 'nearing your en-?"

"Oh! Is that the village you intended to visit?," Master Yao interrupted, pointing ahead.

"Oh, yeah. Looks like we're here."

Master Yao and Zhong both stopped in front of the village, and took in the view.

It was much smaller than the Valley of Peace, there was a row of cottages on one side, totaling to about twenty houses, and an open area with shops and resturants. The whole area was surrounded by fields of tall grass, and several ponds were scattered across the way, due to the heavy rain that occurs in this area. The large chattering crowd ambience that exsisted in normal villages were not present here, as there was eviedently not many people up this early.

_Darn! She's probably not even there yet_, Zhong thought to himself.

The two continued on into the quaint village, Zhong leading the way into the local market, and Yao skipping ahead.

"Oh! An early morning market visit, I love it!" Master Yao exclaimed, as he rushed to the nearest seller.

Zhong watched in embarassment as Yao proceeded to run up and sample all of the cart owner's apples.

"These are delectible! What kind of apples are these?," Master Yao implored.

"Uh, those would be steamed apples. With honey," The apple cart duck answered.

"I must have a whole crate of these wonderous piece of perfection right away!"

"Yes, M-Master Yao."

"My good friend Zhong here will take care of the cost!," Yao added, patting Zhong's shoulder.

Zhong flattened his ears and reluctantly slid his travel pack off, and withdrew some yuan for the apple cart duck.

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

"Yeah...thanks."

The apple cart duck sluggishly handed Master Yao the crate of apples.

"Ooh, splendid!," Yao said, excitiedly grabbing the crate.

The two continued on around the marketplace, Master Yao making sure to visit every open cart salesman, and draining Zhong's supply of yuan.

Zhong finally decided it was time to leave when Yao desired to tour a nearby cart selling weaponry.

"With all respect, Master Yao, we should really get going," Zhong

"Oh, now what's the rush Wolfy?"

"Well, I kinda wanted to meet someone, and we've been here for a few hours now..."

"Oh yes! Forgive me, it seems I got a little carried away, let us go and visit your friend!"

"Yeah... let's go."

The two retreated from the marketplace, Zhong leading the way towards a local tea house, Master Yao following close behind.

"Ooh! Some tea? Splendid! I'm parched after a long day of shopping."

"Well, uh, Master Yao. The tea is pretty pricy here..."

"Well then I'll pay for it! I wouldn't want to be a burden, now would I?"

Zhong flattened his ears.

"Well, thanks Master Yao!"

The two entered the teahouse, which was pretty heavily populated, due to it being the local lunch hour. Zhong found an empty table near the corner of the restraunt, adjacent to a window, letting in the bright mid-day sun.

"It's absolutley splendid here!" Yao said as he sat down, "Oh, here comes our waitress!"

Zhong's heart sank when Yao mentioned this. He quickly looked in the reflection of a nearby cup of tea, fixing his fur and checking his breath, before turning his attention back to the waitress in from of them.

Any dialouge that he had prepared prior to looking at her would have surely been gone by now, as taking one glance at her rendered him speechless.

She was an arctic fox, little shorter than Zhong, was wearing a light blue tunic, and was currently waiting for some sort of response out of Zhong, who simply couldn't stop staring.

"Zhong?"

"Oh, yes!...what? Sorry Nuan."

"Heheh, Nice to see you again! I just asked who your friend was here."

"Oh, um, my apologizes, Nuan, this is Master-"

"Greetings! Oh, your paw is so soft! This has got to be the softest handshake in all my years of life!"

"Oh thank you, sir!"

"You can call me Yao, because that's my name!"

"Alrighty then, Yao. What'll be your choice of tea this afternoon?"

"Well what would you recommend, dear?"

"Oh, the uh, The green leaf tea is pretty popular right now, but the eucalyptus tea is by far my favorite here."

"How appetizing! I'd love to try that, young lady!"

"Alright...and for you, Zhong?"

"Oh, well, um I'd uh, i'd like just a cup of water, if that's okay."

"You sure you don't want some tea Zhong?"

"S-sure! Okay."

"What kind?"

"Yeah!"

"...what?"

"Oh, what kind? Uh, i'd have what Master Yao had. The, uh, 'youcuniptis' one?

"Eucalyptus?"

"Yeah, that."

"Sure, coming right up, Zhong," Naun said, giggling.

Zhong sank his head down into his arms, cursing his social anxiety. In doing so, he watched Naun as she walked to the kitchen, smiling at every customer on the way with that gentle, caring, cute smile. Before he knew it, Zhong became lost in thought.

_Naun, she's so amazing. In the few months that i've known her, she's just been so great to me. She's by far the nicest person i've ever met. Oh, and her paintings are simply beautiful, she's so talented. And that face...those big dark, round eyes are so alluring yet tender..._

"Oh, I'd agree, she has some lovely eyes! Simply wonderful!," Yao said, snapping Zhong out of his daydreams.

"W-what? Wait, you can-"

"Oh, here she comes! Splendid!"

Zhong looked and saw the artic fox carrying a small tray with three glasses. She made her way to their table, and gently set them down and their table.

"Here you go, guys! Mind if I join you? My break just so happens to be right now."

"Excellent! We'd absolutely love your company!"

Naun distributed the cups, and took a seat inbetween Yao and Zhong, which no doubt made Zhong a little uneasy.

"So Zhong, who's your friend here?"

"Oh, Naun, this is Master Yao, Legendary keeper of the biggest secrets in Kung Fu. He was kidnapped by a bunch of crocodile bandits a few days back, and after rescuing him, he told me that he needed to get to the Jade Palace. So we left this morning, and thought we'd stop for some tea."

"The Jade Palace? Like, as in the one in The Valley of Peace?"

"Yep, that's the one."

"Wow, small world! My mother lives there! Haven't seen here in the longest time, just never have gotten a whole trip planned out and stuff. That sounds great though! So how-"

"Come with us! Oh, it'll be exsquisite!," Yao exclaimed.


	3. Chapter 3

Master and the Wolf

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

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><p>"Oh, it'll be exsquisite!," Yao had exlaimed, leaning forward onto the table.<p>

"What, go with you guys? All the way to the Valley of Peace?," Naun questioned.

"Well, I don't see the harm in it," Zhong added, repressing his excitement.

"Well..urm...I,uh..."

"Well you don't have to go if you don't want to. I mean, i'm just saying."

"Yeah, I know, i'm just...thinking."

"Oh please do consider it, Naun! I guarantee it'll be the most thrilling adventure

you've ever had!"

"It's just...,"

Naun looked into her tea cup, glaring at her reflection, pondering the matter.

_Well, I mean, I'm not really doing anything, at the time. Well, I love my job, but a _

_little break wouldn't be so bad..._

She realized that the two men had grown silent, waiting for her response.

Naun looked up and saw Zhong sipping his tea, very clumsily, and had a confused,

insecure expression, much like a cute little puppy dog.

She just couldn't resist.

"Lemme just talk to my boss, I'd love to go."

"This house is easily the most delightful home i've ever visited in all my days!," Yao exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice," Zhong added.

"Oh, quit it you liars," Naun remarked, blushing.

Both Naun and Yao laughed at this, accomplishing a cheerful mood.

"Just give me a second, i'll go get my things."

"Take all the time you need! We have all day to get to the boat."

"Hey Zhong, can I talk to you in private for a second?"

"Sure thing!"

"Keep it down, just...come over here." Zhong insisted, leading Yao outside of Naun's house.

"Yes, yes, what is it you need?"

"Yao, do I, uh..."

"Do you what?"

"Do I smell?"

"Eh..."

"I mean i've been living alone for so long and whenever I visit Naun I usually bathe beforehand

but this time I didn't have time I'm pretty sure she thinks I stink she looked at me funny on the way

here please tell me."

Zhong gasped, taking in air.

Master Yao simply stared back up at him, with that genuine smile.

The two simply stared at each other.

"...You don't smell, Zhong."

"Thanks!" Zhong remarked, running back into the house, with a new sense of security.

Zhong approached Naun, who was busy folding clothes and stuffing them into a backpack.

"Hey Naun."

"Oh, hey, Zhong!"

"D-did you need any help?"

"Oh no, I'm fine, thanks."

"So uh...do any painting lately?

"No, not really. Just haven't had that creative spark."

"That's a shame. Your stuff is like, is really cool."

"Heh, thanks."

"Hmm, remember that one painting you did, like a few days ago?"

"Um, which one?"

"That uh...Wait, I think I still have it."

Zhong removed his backpack and began digging for that specific artpiece.

"You...keep it with you?"

"Is that weird?"

"Well...uh..."

"Oh, here it is!"

Zhong pulled out a small painting, no bigger than two paws wide and tall.

The painting was overall dark, nothing identifiable.

Some things that were easily recognizable were two shapes, and gray and red smudges all over.

"Oh...that."

"Honestly I don't know whats going on here. Does it like, represent something?"

"It uh...It just came to me," Naun muttered, evidently becoming edgy.

"...alrighty then," Zhong replied, carefully placing the painting back in his backpack.

_So uh, yeah. _

_Steering a boat now. _

_Just me. _

_And this boat wheel._

_Steering._

_Today was a pretty good day._

_I talked to Naun for, like, hours in total today._

_That walk through the bamboo forest was pretty awesome, especially due to the fact that_

_it was pretty windy and the lighting was beautiful and holy shit did she look hot at that moment._

_I mean, I don't know what it is about her that just so captivating-_

_Well, no, I do._

_It's her loving personality, and her gentle demeanor._

_Also, her physical appearance isn't too bad either._

_I mean, looks aren't important, _

_not in the slightest, but, that face..._

_It's so...adorable. Those big ears compliment her cute little nose the same way her big, dreamy _

_eyes agree with her petite frame, its just so lovable. I've never seen anyone cuter._

_Spending time with her is awesome._

_So yeah, today was pretty awesome. _

_Well, except for when we had to go through Gongmen City, that was pretty nervewrecking._

_At least it was at night, so there weren't that many people roaming the streets._

_If there were, I'm sure i'd get tons of piecering glares and dirty looks. _

_Well, I deserve them._

_I deserve much more._

Zhong's thought process was interrupted when a drop of rain landed on his muzzle.

Initially surprised, he looked up and realized it had begun to raing lightly.

Zhong decided that it would be best to have a quick nap in the sheltered area of the boat.

He approached the reigion in particular, but stopped in his tracks at what he saw.

It was Naun, rolled up tightly, sleeping.

It was just too cute.

But on closer inspection, she was shivering.

Zhong very quickly, without the slightest bit of slighest of hesitation, retrived a medium-sized blanket from his pack.

He approached her with the blanket, and gently, very very very gently, placed it on her.

Afterwards, he stepped back slowly.

He then looked for a spot to lay down and have a nap, taking a few minutes debating whether the spot was

too close/too far from Nuan.

When he finally decided, he drifted gently to his slumber.

Little did he know, Nuan was far from being asleep.

_Oh, Zhong, you're adorable._

_Wonder how he lost his eye, though..._

_Also, where'd he get all those gruesome scars on his legs and back?_

_And what was he doing living in the woods by himself in an old, adandoned house?_

_There's obviously a lot I don't know about you, Zhong._

_But hopefully this little vacation of ours would help me find out._

_I mean, he seems like a generally nice guy, but i've been fooled before._

Nuan easily drifted to sleep, accompanied by the soothing pitter-patter of rain on the boat's shelter.


End file.
